Chapter 9

In the middle of the night, someone knocked violently on the door of the room I was sleeping in.

I opened the door sleepily to see Luke, his face satisfied from recent intimacy.

"Go upstairs and change the sheets, and boil some water while you're at it. Vanessa's throat is a bit sore."

I obediently agreed:

"I have some throat lozenges here, I'll bring them to sister-in-law in a bit."

But Luke seemed to be in a strange mood. He looked at me oddly and forcefully gripped my shoulder:

"Lily, you're not jealous, are you?"

"Don't you know that from the beginning, I've only ever loved Vanessa?"

"You volunteered to be Vanessa's substitute, clinging to me."

...

No one knew that the reason Luke cared about a little trash he picked up was because he would embrace me on countless nights.

After entering college, during summer break, Luke worked four jobs a day to save money.

I wanted to follow him and work too, but he wouldn't let me, saying male bosses outside always took advantage of young girls.

He was afraid I would be treated the same way.

So all I did every day was wait for him to come home.

By chance one time, I saw the small box that Luke usually kept locked was accidentally left with the key together.

Normally, Luke never let me look at what was inside the box, or even get near that area.

Driven by curiosity, I turned the key, wanting to see what treasure was hidden inside the box.

It turned out there was only a yellowed photograph and two floral hair clips inside.

In the photo, a young boy shyly avoided looking at the camera, while a young girl hugged him intimately, smiling happily.

That was the first time I saw Vanessa.

I finally understood that the box Luke wouldn't let me open was his last sanctuary, belonging to him alone.

The box contained his most precious treasure.

Out of jealousy, I hid the key.

When Luke came home, he frantically searched for the key but couldn't find it anywhere.

He tried to pry it open with his fingernails in desperation, but all attempts failed.

I was too scared to speak, but seeing Luke's bloodied fingernails, I tremblingly handed the key I had hidden in my pocket to Luke, who was crying with his head down.

That was the first time he got so angry with me, and he didn't come home for several days.

A week later, Luke finally came back.

I clumsily tried to hug him like the little girl in the photo, hoping to earn his forgiveness.

I only remember that night, he kept saying "I love you so much."

But at the end of his passionate confession, it was Vanessa's name he uttered.